New CCB members pledge stiffer anti-graft fight

Newly inaugurated members of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) have promised to reduce corruption to the barest minimum and stop pilfering of national resources by Nigerians to develop foreign countries.

They said they would take tactical steps in their combat against graft in all ramifications to achieve results that will put Nigeria in the right perspective.
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A member of the CCB, representing the South-South zone, Johnson Agbonayinma, told newsmen after the inauguration by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that it was time to stop dubious Nigerians from retarding progress of the country.

“Nigeria deserves to get the best, to be among the leading nations with all that God has bestowed on this nation, but a few persons have determined to derail the progress of this great nation through dubious means.

“Seeing a crime being committed, failure to report that crime to the nearest law enforcement agency, you are as guilty as the man or woman who committed that crime. So it’s going to require the effort of every one of us,” he said.

Asked what change Nigerians should expect from the team against the backdrop of allegations that CCB and other anti-corruption agencies are being used for political vendetta, he assured that citizens would be given the best.
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“You can say that in the past, some government officials did that, but in this government, I don’t think anyone should say President Buhari is witch-hunting anyone. We have seen people, even in his own party, being prosecuted and nobody is applauding him for that. This is not about partisanship, let us put Nigeria first, and work together with the government of the day,” Agbonayinma appealed.

The member representing South West, Babatunde Olayinka Balogun, also said the team was poised to tackle corruption frontally.

“I’m a retired commissioner of police, I have all my life attempted to fight indiscipline, corruption, and general audacity in society. We want to make sure that everybody conforms with the code of conduct of their various offices in the country.”

Benedict Umeano, representing South East, said Nigeria would not regret his appointment especially in the fight against corruption.

On what the team would do differently, Umeano said: “We have to be very tactical, honest, and sincere in the fight against corruption.”
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